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5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Scroll.in
What South Mumbai should actually look like
You get off at the corner where PD'Mello Road meets Carnac Bridge. The taxi driver has no choice but to reverse the way he came. He grumbles, 'Yeh purana Bambai hai. Yahaan gaadi ghusaneka chanceich nahin', and drives off. You turn right onto the new bridge that was designed for but has never felt the skid of rubber tyres, thanks to the new Sonyachi Mumbai initiative. The deck has been paved over with coloured tiles like a Baroque carpet. It's early evening and families are settling on the terracotta florets for food and revelry. Street sensors rule this edge, and deduct a heavy toll automatically from every motorised vehicle moving south towards Colaba. These levies have succeeded as a deterrent and public transport is booming. Electric buses, trams, solar-powered jinrikshas and bicycles-for-hire have more takers than ever. The space outside Crawford Market has been hardscaped, and extends to the police headquarters. John Lockwood Kipling's marble murals in the tympanums of the entrance portals glisten in the late afternoon sun. His fountain has been relocated from inside the market and now presides over a new plaza, lined with benches and champa trees. Street markets pop up from time to time outside Emerson's neo-Gothic edifice, especially when hapus is in season. A new state-of-the-art tram system has its terminus here. You could hop on and it would take you all the way to Sassoon Dock. But you prefer to walk. As you pass the JJ School of Art, you see another space in the making. The JJ flyover is being dismantled. The success of the Eastern Freeway has made it redundant. You are quietly pleased as you know this will bring urban life back onto Mohammed Ali Road, choked for many decades by the concrete python that ran from the JJ School to the JJ Hospital. You choose the arcade leading to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus for its shade, looking forward to a walk through a forest. All is green. Urban woodland has been cultivated using the Miyawaki technique, a method of dense forestation using native plants. The canopy brings down the temperature, and you are awash in the scents of kadamba, karanja, banyan, bakul and guava. For a few brief moments, birdsong drowns out traffic sound. The woods clear, enough for a panoramic view of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Frederick William Stevens' two masterpieces. Outside the Capitol Cinema, Aram Hotel has organised outdoor seating, where waiters ply punters with kothimbir wadi and thali peeth. Capitol has transformed into an arthouse cinema, tying up with MUBI to screen the best of world and avant-garde fare, reminding you of the glory days of the now-defunct Akashvani theatre. You come out into the sun again and take the grand boulevard that is DN Road going south towards Flora Fountain. Cyclists in dedicated lanes whiz past. You step aside in response to the urgent dinging of a tram driver. You never heard it coming. These shiny new caterpillars are Autonomous Rapid Transit and run on rubber tyres, not rails. ART is the centrepiece of the initiative to pedestrianise this part of the city. Our urban planners have taken lessons from Barcelona's Las Ramblas and New Orleans' Bourbon Street. The avenue still carries the bulk of office-goers from the terminus to their workplaces in the south. With centres of employment shifting northwards to Bandra Kurla Complex and erstwhile mill lands, the crowds have thinned. What teems is culture. The neo-classical and art deco buildings lining the boulevard are now in the safe hands of the city's growing cohort of conservation architects. Stone façades are cleaned, loose and hanging wires of every hue removed and shop signs are rationalised. All this is done in partnership with shopkeepers and offices, stakeholders and end-users. There is still flash, especially at night, but you can appreciate the bright harmonies of neon and LEDs. The arcades, Bartle Frere's gift to the city, are freed of the stalls. Shopfronts display their wares without encumbrance. New restaurants line both street fronts and have brought their seating out from under the arcades. You stop for a quick coffee at your favourite new barista, under Fine Mansion that faces off with Hurrem's on the other side. There's a bit of European laissez-faire here. You pay more to sit outside than in. Hawkers and vendors are relocated in streets running perpendicular to the boulevard. These cross-streets are known for the wares they sell – flowers, secondhand books, bric-a-brac – or as khau gullies. Charles Correa's 1968 'hawkers pavements' proposal to the BMC has been repurposed here. Equitable platforms and water taps line both sides of the streets. There is no lack of business, as pedestrians flood in from Bora Bazaar on one side and Somani Road on the other. By midnight, you can hear the aeolian hum of snores emanating from the daytime vendors and their helpers, sleeping the sleep of the just. No streets in the city are safer than these. You sip your mocha and you contemplate the sea change. What courage it took on the part of the municipal corporation and its bureaucratic arms to allow you to sit in such peace! Alternate vehicular corridors on both eastern and western edges of the peninsula required an overhaul to free the centre for Mumbai's citizens. Plans were displayed on the steps of the Asiatic for a full six months while opinions were solicited. Citizens were taken into confidence. Debates were held in the Darbar Hall. Contrary to expectation, even intuition, support for the Sonyachi Mumbai initiative was overwhelming. Enough to bring an incumbent back into public office. Now here you are. The coffee is overpriced but the place and time afforded are well worth it. Flowing under your feet is the now iconic four-kilometer-long chevron pavement, made of permeable tiles that allow rainwater to soak through. The white zigzags alternate with colours taken from the building façades – grey basalt, yellow Malad stone, beige limestone. You finish your coffee and rise to see a vast stainless steel bucket floating off the paving blocks, emptying all manner of pots and pans on DN Road. An even stranger sight – it ejects (or ingests) people from time to time. This Subodh Gupta installation is the entrance to the Hutatma Chowk Metro Station on Line 3 from Colaba to SEEPZ. Hutatma Chowk, the erstwhile heart of the city, is decluttered and rejuvenated. Flora Fountain has returned to its original place of pride. The Smarak and Amar Jyoti are not only restored but expanded into a city park with flowering trees planted in the memory of each martyr. Several of these full-grown trees have been successfully transplanted from their original sites, where they once obscured architectural façades. Half a kilometre on, you see the tail of the riderless horse first, now at ground level and occupying the same spot as Edward VII's equestrian statue once did. Uncle Ted still languishes in Jijamata Udyan. The lone horse is liberated of its ungainly pedestal and barricade, and children delight in clambering all over it. Some smart aleck decided to name the horse Trigger and the name has stuck. On the former parking lot, there now rises a variation on Anish Kapoor's Tall Tree & the Eye, a rising stack of chrome spheres that breaks the skyline above Jehangir Art Gallery. Its orbs cast kaleidoscopic patterns on the space below at different times of the day. The Urban Arts Commission has taken its role seriously, inviting the best talent from India and abroad to make interventions in the public realm. Street plays and hip-hop rend the evening air – Rampart Row is a performance space around the year. All along its pavement, Sameer Kulavoor's architectural vignettes, having melted off the walls of the Max Mueller Bhavan, add colour and whimsy right down to Yellow Gate. You smile as you walk past, nod to David Sassoon gazing out of his roundel and wonder what Arun Kolatkar would have made of all this. Cars and other four-wheelers finally cross your path at Wellington Fountain. They turn into Colaba Causeway from both Shahid Bhagat Singh and Madame Cama Road. AI-enabled traffic monitoring removes all conflict points between vehicles and those on foot. The Fountain itself is restored and flows. This spot is now a UNESCO-certified heritage panorama. Every architectural style from the last 200 years is represented here and care is taken to disallow intrusions into this cherished skyline. Your walk culminates at the Gateway of India. Every barricade has been taken down. Surveillance and security are still in place, but quiet, unobtrusive. Even the fencing around the Gateway Plaza Garden next to the Taj Palace Hotel has gone, allowing access from all directions. The vast sea-fronting space is now a site for 'eating the air', loitering andmutter-gashti. Write-ups appear in The Guardian and The Washington Post, lauding the sense of community, trust and the near absence of vandalism. You meet a friend under one of the concrete domes of the Gateway. As echoing footsteps fade, you find a place on the steps leading to the Arabian Sea to immerse yourselves in the flamingo hues of dusk. No words are spoken. You sit shoulder to shoulder, turning momentarily away from the city that you love, knowing that it's always got your back. Mustansir Dalvi, recently retired, was the longest serving professor of architecture in the University of Mumbai. He is a trustee of Art Deco Mumbai.
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Rana Man Singh: Nehru's architect who designed Shanti Van
The year was 1949. Then Prime Minister of newly independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was visiting the US. While he was in New York, a young man Rana Man Singh met him. Singh was then working with the great architect Frank Lloyd Wright. He had moved to the US after studying at the JJ School of Art in Bombay. During their meeting, Nehru urged Singh to return to home and contribute to the building of a new India. The idea resonated with Singh, who returned to Delhi in 1951. One day, he met Nehru at Teen Murti House. Nehru recognised him and said he would soon be put to work. A few days later, Singh joined the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). Years later, Singh would be tasked with landscaping Nehru's memorial, Shanti Van. Singh also designed several other important buildings across the country. Bal Bhavan (1953), Buddha Jayanti Park (1956), the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) (1964), and the Nehru Planetarium (1980), are among his works in Delhi. Buddha Jayanti Park is considered a milestone in Singh's career. It was developed in 1959 to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of Lord Buddha's Parinirvana. The government had allocated 300 acres of land for this park, and Nehru himself entrusted Singh with this project. On Tuesday (May 27), people from all walks of life visited Shanti Van to pay tribute to Nehru on his death anniversary. Upon entering the complex, they would have felt the incessant din of Mahatma Gandhi Road fade away. The atmosphere of Shanti Van is profoundly calm. In the morning, when the first rays of the sun touch the green spread along the banks of the Yamuna, Shanti Van appears even more enchanting. The chirping of birds, the gentle breeze, and the sound of the flowing Yamuna transform this place into a meditative sanctuary. Shanti Van was established in 1964 around the spot where the last rites of the first Prime Minister of India were performed. The name Shanti Van (forest of peace) reflects the peaceful and inclusive vision Nehru espoused throughout his life. Thousands of birds inhabit the countless trees here, their chirping beginning at dawn. You will see dozens of squirrels scurrying about all day. Awash with the colours of blooming roses, jasmine, marigolds, and other flowers, Shanti Van is one of Delhi's most peaceful havens amidst its bustling life. Nehru's samadhi is a simple black stone platform. For the past one and a half to two decades, Brother Solomon George has been reading excerpts from the Bible at the interfaith prayer meetings held here on November 14th and May 27th. George occasionally visits to sit here, finding solace in the greenery and tranquillity. Besides him, many others come to Shanti Van to spend a few moments in its serene environment. Shanti Van is maintained by the Central Public Works Department. Singh specifically had Neem and Peepal trees planted here, reflecting Nehru's love for Indian culture and environmental conservation. Buddha Jayanti Park also boasts numerous Neem and Peepal trees. The design of Shanti Van maintains harmony with the environment. Its greenery and open spaces not only provide aesthetic beauty but also symbolise Nehru's principles of peace and non-alignment. There are no grand monuments or excessive decorations. Situated on the banks of the Yamuna, its natural beauty is further enhanced. The calm flow of the river and the surrounding natural scenery offer spiritual peace. Beyond Shanti Van, Singh designed buildings and spaces that stand out as unique and unparalleled due to their distinctive designs. His buildings allow ample sunlight and fresh air. When designing the Nehru Memorial Library, he kept the capital's arid climate in mind. Hence the strong focus on landscaping: You will find greenery at every turn here, which undoubtedly provides relief in summer. Singh was entrusted with designing the NMML in the Teen Murti complex in 1964. His primary task was to design the library, seminar rooms, and auditorium. Teen Murti House was designed by Robert Tor Russell, who also designed Safdarjung Airport, Connaught Place, Western Court, and Eastern Court. Singh knew that his work would be compared to Russell's: He didn't disappoint. Singh designed the NMML in such a way that visitors to the library and other parts of the building would always have a view of the beautiful gardens. For this, he incorporated ample window space in the two-story building. Those reading in the library can see the greenery outside, and once someone studies here, they rarely find other places appealing. Many of his contemporaries were influenced by Edwin Lutyens or the French architect Le Corbusier, but Singh constantly sought to create something original. His work bears no overt influence from others. Rana Man Singh passed away in 2012. Vivek Shukla is the author of Gandhi's Delhi. The views expressed are personal. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Uncovering urban legacies: Mumbai's icons under the spotlight
A recent discussion in Mumbai explored the city's urban legacies through its taxis, public clocks, and statues, revealing their evolution and significance. Experts highlighted the decline of public clocks due to neglect and the educational value of often-overlooked statues. Mumbai's vibrant past came alive at a riveting discussion on 'Uncovering Urban Legacies: Icons of Mumbai – Taxis, Public Clocks, and Statues.' Conservation architect Kruti Garg set the stage, introducing these everyday emblems that quietly define the city's urban fabric. As moderator, Garg steered a lively dialogue around how these icons have evolved and what they reveal about Mumbai's shifting identity. Photographer Chirodeep Chaudhuri opened the session by delving into his photographic project Seeing Time, chronicling the city's aging public clocks since 1996. Through haunting images of neglected dials and decaying mechanisms, Chaudhuri highlighted how timekeeping in Mumbai has faded, attributing the decline to rent control restrictions and a shortage of spare parts. He stressed that reviving these 'timekeepers' would require a collective civic commitment. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Adding a historical dimension, archaeologist and author Sandeep Dahisarkar reflected on his decade-long study of sculptures at the JJ School of Art. Showcasing stories of little-known statues like those of King George V and King Edward VIII, Dahisarkar emphasized their educational value in distinguishing between Western and Bombay sculpting traditions—a heritage often overlooked amidst the city's rapid modernization. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Don't Miss The Top Packaging Trends Of 2025 Enhance Your Brand With The Latest Insights Packaging Machines | Search Ads Search Now Undo Photojournalist Fawzan Husain brought human stories to the fore with his intimate portraits of Mumbai's once-ubiquitous kaali-peeli taxis. Having documented the Premier Padmini over 18 years, Husain's images captured the taxi as both witness and participant in the city's many moods—from riots to festivals. Even as these taxis disappear from the streets, he argued, they remain etched in the city's collective memory. Eshan Sharma, founder of Karwaan Heritage, linked Mumbai's urban symbols to its cinematic legacy. Tracing Bombay's rise as India's film capital post-Partition, Sharma described how cinema mirrored the city's spirit. He championed heritage walks as vital tools to unearth these rich, layered narratives and ensure that Mumbai's complex histories are neither erased nor forgotten. As the evening drew to a close, the panel left the audience with a powerful reminder: icons may fade from sight, but preserving their stories ensures they endure across generations.
